


Family Means No One Gets Left Behind, or Forgotten

by KarenHardy (PhoenixSR)



Series: Hardy Three Mysteries [7]
Category: Hardy Boys - Franklin W. Dixon
Genre: I'm Bad At Summaries, I'm Bad At Tagging, Protective Siblings, Sibling Bonding, Sibling Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-25
Updated: 2019-08-25
Packaged: 2020-10-01 20:09:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20390266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhoenixSR/pseuds/KarenHardy
Summary: Siblings who take care of each other aren't hard to find with these three. But Frank hasn't realised how far his younger siblings are willing to go.





	Family Means No One Gets Left Behind, or Forgotten

“Frank…” Joe sounded scared. Frank was up in an instant.   
“What is it, Joey?” He asked.   
“I think there’s a monster under my bed.”

Frank sighed in relief, glad it was only a monster, not something else.

He glanced under the bed and said, “Listen here monsters, you leave my little brother alone!” He smiled at Joe. “I checked for monsters, but they’re all scared of me.” He said.

“Promise?” Joe whined.

“Promise.” Frank swore.

“Okay…” Joe hesitantly fell back asleep.

The seven year old brunette watched his six year old brother fall back asleep with a soft smile. He did his big brother job, and now Joe was safe from the monsters.

* * *

Frank wasn’t expecting Karen’s crying to wake him up. The five year old girl was curled up on the air mattress beside him, crying.

“Karen?” He called quietly. “What’s wrong?”

“I miss mommy and daddy.” She whispered.

“Oh, KK.” Frank breathed. “Come here. I’ll play with your hair until you fall asleep.”

She climbed up into his bed and curled against him. He threaded his fingers into her short brown locks and played with them until her crying stopped and her breathing evened out.

* * *

“Karen!” Frank hissed. “Are you nuts?”

They’d made it to the roof. There was a fire escape on the next building over. If they could jump across, then they could flee their kidnappers and get back home.

“It’s our only chance.” She argued.

“We could go back-”

“And run into those guys again? No thanks.” Joe cut in.

“You two are out of your minds-”

“Goddammit Frank, just listen to me for once!” Karen swore. “You take care of us, every single day. Let us do this! Let us take care of you!”

Frank sighed.

“Fine.” He relented. “But I’m going first.”

“No, I am.” Joe stopped him.

“Joe-”

“You may be older, but I’m stronger.” The blonde said. “If you don’t make it, I can catch you.”

“But Joe-”

“Trust me. Please.”

With the intensity of Joe’s blue eyed stare, Frank caved. 

“Alright.”

Joe took a few paces back, ran and jumped. He crashed into a generator, but he made it to the other side.

“Alright, Karen next!” Joe called.

She took a few steps back, got ready, and-

“Wait-” Frank stopped her.

“What?”

He hugged her.

“What’s that for?” She asked.

“In case I don’t make it.”

“You will.” She promised. “We’ll be right there to catch you, old man.”

“Old man, eh, squirt?”

“Come on. I’m seventeen. I’m not a little kid anymore.”

“How did you grow up so fast?”

“You always said I was an old soul. I sometimes wonder if I was ever a kid to begin with…” 

“You were.” He let go. “Okay squirt. Jump.”

Karen paced back, ran forward and jumped. She landed perfectly on the other side.

“C’mon, Frank.” She urged.

He backed up, ran, and jumped. He realised about halfway through, he wasn’t going to make it. He closed his eyes and-  _ didn't _ hit the ground?

He opened his eyes and Karen and Joe were hauling him up on the roof.

“You didn’t think we’d let you die on us, did you?” She smirked.

Joe had his left arm, and Karen his right as they pulled him up to safety. He was hugged tightly when they got him up.

“C’mon, old man.” Karen poked him in the ribs. “We’ve gotta get out of here.”

They went down the fire escape and made it to safety fairly fast, but Frank’s thoughts were racing.

After all the times he’d been there for them, how many more times had his siblings been there for him? Without beckoning, without asking, just because of their dedication to him and to each other. He wasn’t sure, but he figured it was time to start paying attention.


End file.
